Former Studebaker Museum to be razed

-Freeman-Spicer dealership could see the wrecking ball this year.

-Freeman-Spicer dealership could see the wrecking ball this year.

June 27, 2006|JAMIE LOO Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- A former downtown Studebaker car dealership is being cleared for future development. The Board of Public Works initiated a request for bids to demolish the old Freeman-Spicer dealership, 635 S. Main St., on Monday. The dealership sold Studebaker automobiles from the 1920s until the corporation closed in 1963. The building was home to the Studebaker National Museum from 1983 until last fall when the new museum opened on Chapin Street. Sharon Kendall, executive director of community and economic development, said when plans for the new museum were made, the old building was considered for demolition. The second floor of the building has trouble holding significant amounts of weight, and the building has climate control problems with its heating and air-conditioning system. "Structurally it's not up to snuff," she said. The building was designed for a car dealership, and Kendall said there aren't many other uses for the space. Buildings that can be rehabilitated for reuse are marketed by the city to potential users whenever possible, she said. Kendall said the Freeman-Spicer building is old and has many problems, which makes it more logical to clear the spot for more development. The Main Street site is an ideal space to help tie new development to the central downtown, Kendall said. Its proximity to Union Station and the Metronet hub could draw more high-technology ventures to the area.